After he became a US federal trade commissioner (FTC) in 2018, Rohit Chopra made waves in the field of antitrusts by going after monopolies. The FTC was largely ineffective, and he felt that it had failed not only consumers but also employees by giving monopolies a slap on the wrist. His most important work was shedding light on the wage-fixing happening within trusts. When every viable competitor had been absorbed by a monopoly, employees couldn’t threaten to leave a company to work for its competitor after being treated poorly. Read full article here
Societal Issues
To curb drug deaths, communities turn to Reddit, texts and wastewater
With drug overdose deaths on the rise, authorities are attempting to curb the epidemic by tracking and sharing information in real time. In one unique effort, a nonprofit in New York City is using drug-testing equipment and stamping or marking habits of dealers to identify drug batches that may endanger users. Other approaches are also being used, such as monitoring drug-related chatter on Reddit and analyzing local wastewater for opioid and other drug levels. With the combination of these efforts, researchers hope to put a dent in the opioid crisis and reduce overdose deaths. Read full article here
Merv
June 1, 2023
